Philemon is one of those short books in the New Testament that we sometimes don’t know what to do with.

Deceptively simple, it deals with a conflict St Paul is seeking to resolve. And a bigger conflict and issue that the book (and other teachings from St Paul) would ultimately provide the grounds for resolution.

Onesimus was a slave in the household of one Philemon, and not surprisingly for a young man, Onesimus had escaped and gone to the big city of Rome. Maybe to escape an annoying master, or maybe he was irresponsible or maybe he was simply tired of being a slave.

Which is where he met Paul.

And before going further, we should talk briefly about slavery in the first century Mediterranean world. Americans tend to hear slavery in terms of our own sad history of slavery, but there are substantial and important differences in those two. First, slavery in the Roman world was not racially based. Slaves were of a variety of skin colors and ethnic backgrounds.

Next, slavery was sometimes permanent, but often not. Slaves might be enslaved for a time and when that time was completed, released with no bad consequences. Here, think indentured servitude. Or even employment.

Because slaves in the Roman empire were not absolute slaves. They owed a certain performance and tribute to their master but apart from that, they were free to do as they wished. Many slaves also operated side businesses.

Finally, slavery was not a sign of one’s class in society. Slaves could and did rise to positions of prominence and power in the Roman world